The present invention relates generally to devices used to control the growth of plants, and more particularly to devices used for defining a border in a landscape area.
The landscaping of homes and commercial properties typically includes numerous elements such as grass, trees, and sidewalks. The maintenance of defined borders between these different landscape elements presents a problem because many of the elements, such as grass and flowers, are constantly growing and encroach upon other areas of the landscape. For example, when grass is growing adjacent to a sidewalk, the grass often grows over the surface edge of the sidewalk making it unsightly and difficult to cut. Grass planted adjacent to fences or mulched areas may also appear unsightly as it grows into mulched areas or up fences. Grass that grows into other areas is difficult to maintain in that it requires an edging device such as a gasoline-powered edger in addition to the lawnmower conventionally used to cut the grass.
One device known in the art for creating a border between different landscape elements is a scalloped block such as the one shown in FIG. 1. The scalloped edging block 10 shown in FIG. 1 is typically made of concrete and is placed along the border of a lawn to prevent grass from encroaching into an enjoining area. Although this block 10 is successful in preventing grass from growing into adjacent landscape areas, for example preventing grass from growing into a flower bed, this device presents problems for the maintenance of a lawn because grass that grows close to the side of the block 10 cannot be cut with a conventional lawnmower as depicted in FIG. 2. When a lawnmower 20 is operated next to the scalloped block 10, the wheel of the lawnmower 20 will run over the grass 22 growing next to the block 10 and the blade of the lawnmower 20 will not extend far enough towards the block 10 to cut the grass 22 growing immediately adjacent to the block. Thus, another tool such as a landscape edging tool must be used to trim the grass growing adjacent to the block after the lawnmower has passed. This additional landscaping step is tedious and time consuming, especially in large landscaped areas. In addition, the blocks 10 depicted in FIGS. 1-2 tend to fall over if contacted with a lawnmower 20, requiring the landscaper to go back and reset the blocks after mowing the lawn.
Another attempted solution to this problem is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,541 to DeMaio. DeMaio discloses a plant growth prevention apparatus that provides a barrier between a lawn and a tree. The apparatus taught in DeMaio consists of a number of modules which fit together using connecting rod assemblies. Rods are also used to anchor the apparatus to the ground to prevent it from moving. The object of the apparatus disclosed in the DeMaio is to allow grass to be cut using a traditional lawnmower without the need for an edging device as shown in FIG. 1 of DeMaio. Although the apparatus disclosed in DeMaio prevents grass from growing directly adjacent to trees, the apparatus in DeMaio still presents two problems: the lawnmower operates on a slant to the ground which results in a slanted cut to the grass as depicted in FIG. 1, and the apparatus in DeMaio is difficult to assemble because it requires a plurality of connectors.
Yet another attempted solution to the problem described above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,959 to Whitson. Whitson discloses a masonry edging block for providing a border to a landscape area. Although the edging block disclosed in Whitson prevents the growth of grass along the border of a landscape area, the assembly in Whitson requires the use of dowels to connect the different blocks that make up the edger assembly. This provides for an awkward and arduous assembly process.
Thus, there remains a need for a device which provides an esthetically pleasing border for landscape areas. There also remains a need for a device that is easy to assemble and that requires minimal maintenance.